By Heather Hogan, Communications Specialist, Media Relations
The Honour recognizes more than five decades of humanitarian service in Canada and abroad
For 74-year-old Deborah Lynn Chmara, volunteering with the Canadian Red Cross has never been something she measured in years. It has simply become part of who she is.
"Whether I was helping someone overseas or at home, the same principles carried me through,” says Deborah. “They never changed, and they always pointed me toward the people who needed help most.”
A long-time resident of Castlegar, a community in British Columbia’s West Kootenay region, Deborah was awarded the Order of Red Cross at the Officer level last summer. She previously received the Order of Red Cross, Member, in 2019. It’s the organization’s highest honour, recognizing her decades of exceptional humanitarian service. Deborah’s connection to the Red Cross began early, while her family was living in Saskatchewan. She often accompanied her mother, who worked as a public health nurse, to home visits.
Photo: Canadian Red Cross
Deborah began helping in small ways, rolling bandages and assisting wherever she could, before becoming involved with the Red Cross’s Swimming and Water Safety programs at her local swimming pool. From a young age, Deborah felt a strong connection to the Red Cross values of humanity and voluntary service. She saw them as a natural extension of her desire to support others and make a positive difference in her community.
With her father working as a police officer, Deborah’s childhood was shaped by frequent moves. Regardless of where she lived, attended school, or worked summer jobs, the Red Cross remained a constant presence in her life. Its aquatics programs allowed Deborah to easily transfer her skills and continue working and volunteering wherever she went, including teaching first aid.
Organizational leadership
Deborah’s leadership extends beyond emergency response through her work in governance and training. She has contributed to organizational policy at both the branch and divisional levels, serving as a provincial and regional delegate.
From the classroom to crisis zones
Deborah settled in Castlegar when she began her career as an elementary school teacher, later moving on to middle school and finishing as a high school teacher. She founded a Red Cross youth club, giving students hands-on opportunities to learn first aid, support humanitarian causes, and understand the importance of helping others both at home and around the world.
As an international Red Cross delegate, Deborah accepted deployments ranging from three months to a full year before returning home to the classroom. Her work took her to crisis zones in Albania, Georgia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Liberia, Tajikistan, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines. Serving primarily in organizational development, Deborah worked alongside local Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, helping to strengthen governance, support volunteers, and rebuild services in post-conflict environments.
“In every country I worked in, the Red Cross principles guided every conversation and every decision,” she says. “People recovering from conflict need something to believe in. Those principles give them a way forward.”
After each international deployment, Deborah brought those experiences into her teaching, weaving real-world humanitarian perspectives into her curriculum.
Responding to local emergencies
Deborah also played an important role in emergency responses closer to home. For more than 25 years, she led the Castlegar Canadian Red Cross Emergency Management and B.C. Emergency Support Services (ESS) combined services team, supporting Personal Disaster Assistance Teams (PDAT) and Emergency Response Teams (ERT) both locally and regionally.
Photo: Canadian Red Cross
Deborah supported responses during wildfires, evacuations, and community-level emergencies, often serving as a calm, steady presence during moments of significant stress for individuals and families.
Her leadership did more than guide response operations. It encouraged others to step forward.
Motivating others to volunteer for the Red Cross
Among those Deborah inspired is Corey Jakobsze, the ESS Director and Canadian Red Cross Team Lead for the Castlegar Emergency Support Team. He nominated Deborah for the Order of Red Cross and credits her for shaping his own career path.
“It is because of Deb’s example that I discovered my calling in emergency management,” he says. “When I joined the team, Deb showed me how to approach disaster and emergency response with empathy and compassion, while ensuring the needs of those we serve are always addressed with dignity.”
That influence has continued long after Deborah stepped back from her leadership role in the Emergency Management division.
“In the years since, and especially after taking over the team, I have tried to lead by her example,” Corey adds. “Her guidance continues to shape how our team responds to emergencies.”
Staying involved after “retirement”
In 2022, Deborah announced her retirement from the Canadian Red Cross, but it did not last long. Soon after, the coordinator of Castlegar’s Health Equipment Loan Program (HELP) asked if she could offer her support, and Deborah agreed.
“The amount of service, the amount of help that you're able to do varies with every person, with every team, with every fire, with every flood,” says Deborah. “But every time you do it, you learn so much as a team going forward. I'm extremely proud of the team we have here in Castlegar.” Deborah continues to volunteer weekly, helping people access mobility and medical equipment that allows them to recover safely and live independently at home.
The Order of Red Cross recognizes extraordinary people who have provided outstanding humanitarian service at home and abroad. Watch this video to learn more about all the 2025 Order of Red Cross recipients.